The Royal Canadian Air Force CF-100 flying wing-tip to wing-tip with the USAF F-102 symbolizes the teamwork existing within the two-nation North American Air Defense organization. Both these aircraft stand alert 365 days a year ready to repel an attack upon the borders of the North American continent. Aircraft of both countries are allowed to overfly the Canadian-US border without prior clearance. Image date-stamped Dec. 9, 1958. (NORAD)

The Royal Canadian Air Force CF-100 flying wing-tip to wing-tip with the USAF F-102 symbolizes the teamwork existing within the two-nation North American Air Defense organization. Both these aircraft stand alert 365 days a year ready to repel an attack upon the borders of the North American continent. Aircraft of both countries are allowed to overfly the Canadian-US border without prior clearance. Image date-stamped Dec. 9, 1958.(NORAD)

An overview of Canada’s fighter aircraft, from 1950 to 2014
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The CF-18 Hornet entered service in 1982, when the Canadian Forces began to deploy a total of 138 aircraft. With the spotlight on the aircraft’s age and the federal government’s program to replace it, the Globe looks at its service history and capabilities, and at some of the aircraft previously used as the air force’s front-line fighters.

Tony Gentile / Reuters

McDonnell Douglas CF-18
Hornet

The CF-18 is based on the F/A-18 platform and is
designed for multiple roles and missions, depending on
weapons and configuration. It has a maximum speed of Mach
1.8 (1,814 km/h) and a range of 3,330 kilometres. It is
capable of climbing at a rate of 50,000 feet/minute (250
metres/second).

The aircraft’s main cannon is a 20mm Vulcan gun capable
of firing up to 6,000 rounds per minute. It can also carry
air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles as well as
laser-guided bombs.

The CF-18 has undergone a number of modernizations and
upgrades designed to enhance its capabilities, in
particular to its electronics, missile armament, and radar.
Entering service in 1982, it has been Canada’s primary
fighter aircraft for more than 30 years.

File, March 1961

Canadair CF-104 Starfighter

The CF-104 Starfighter was a modification of a 1954
fighter design from Lockheed which entered service with the
Canadian armed forces in 1962. It was designed as an
interceptor aircraft, but was also used in low-level strike
and reconnaissance roles.

The aircraft had a maximum speed of 1,844 km/h and a
range of 2,630 kilometres. It carried a 20mm Vulcan cannon
and could be adapted for its various roles with external
armaments.

While Canadair initially produced 200 CF-104s for the
Canadian military, the aircraft had a checkered performance
record. While it was the fastest aircraft ever used by the
RCAF, some pilots complained about its unforgiving flight
characteristics and lack of manoeuvrability at low levels.
More than 100 Starfighters were lost to accidents,
prompting air force personnel to tag the plane with the nickname
“Widowmaker.” They were finally retired in 1986.

File

McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo

The CF-101 Voodoo entered Canadian service in 1961, in
part as a result of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow
program. It was designed as an all-weather interceptor
aircraft and was intended to replace the RCAF’s obsolete
Avro CF-100 Canuck.

The Voodoo’s primary armament was the unguided,
nuclear-tipped Genie air-to-air missile. Political
controversy over the introduction of nuclear weapons to
Canada meant, however, that the Voodoo would be armed only
with secondary Falcon air-to-air missiles, which were
produced in both heat-seeking and radar-guided
variants.

The Voodoo carried a crew of two. Its maximum speed was
Mach 1.72 (1,825 km/h) and it had a range of 2,450
kilometres. Most of the Canadian Voodoo fleet was phased
out by the end of 1984.

NORAD File, December 1958

Avro CF-100 Canuck

The CF-100 Canuck fighter/interceptor was the first
fighter to be designed and mass-produced in Canada.
Designed to intercept Soviet bombers, it entered service
with the RCAF in July, 1952, and was phased out in
December, 1981.

The twin-engine CF-100’s short takeoff run and high
climb rate made it an effective interceptor. It had a
maximum speed of almost 890 km/h and a range of 3,200
kilometres, and carried two wingtip rocket pods which could
be replaced with auxiliary fuel tanks when the aircraft was
tasked with reconnaissance and electronic-warfare roles. It
was replaced in its frontline role by the Voodoo.

Deddeda Stemler for Globe and Mail

Canadair Sabre

Based on the F-86 Sabre, the Canadair Sabre was selected
as an air-defence aircraft for the RCAF in 1948 and
initially designated the CL-13. From 1950 to 1958, a total
of 1,815 were built at the Canadair facility in Montreal.
It was considered one of the best combat aircraft of its
era.

Entering service in 1950, the Sabre was built in six
variants, which included incremental upgrades in structure,
manoeuverability, and armament. The final operational
variant, the Mk. 6, had a maximum speed of 1,142 km/h and a
range of 2044 kilometres. It carried six 12.7mm Browning
machine guns with a total of 1,602 rounds of ammunition and
could be equipped with rocket launchers, air-to-air
missiles and various bomb payloads, including tactical
nuclear weapons.

The Sabre was operated by the RCAF, but was also
supplied to the United States Air Force, the Royal Air
Force, and the German Air Force. It was replaced in its
combat role by the Starfighter in 1962, but flew with the
RCAF until 1974.